Within Endless Time
by Abarero
Summary: A collection of short Gundam Seed:Destiny series drabbles and ficlets. Spans many characters and pairings.
1. Murrue: Coming Home

This is my collection of Gundam Seed/Destiny ficlets and drabbles that don't fit into any of my other pairing or character specific collections. So far, most of these have been written for the livejournal community, seed(underscore)fic(underscore)test- a drabble/oneshot challenge community.

Enjoy!

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**Title:** Coming Home  
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** Drama/Introspective  
**Pairings:** Mwuu/Murrue, Andy/Aisha  
**Word Count:** 292  
**Summary:** A soldier always dreams of going home after the wars are over.

* * *

"So this...is home." 

The home was simple, the only sign she ever fought in a war was tucked away on the top of a shelf. And surely, no average visitor would ever suspect that the brown haired woman at the door used to be a formidable warship captain. Then again, Murrue Ramius rarely had average visitors.

Sipping away at a cup of coffee, her eyes drifted from the lone white hats atop her shelf to the single photograph perched on top of the fireplace. The beautiful blue haired woman in the portrait smiled back at her, another memoir of someone dead.

She'd thought her home would be different- a warm place to share with the man she loved. But now, she shared each day with someone else who had lost their love to the war, a unique friendship formed from understanding.

If you'd told her prior to the wars that she'd be living with the infamous Desert Tiger, she would have said you were crazy. Now, the worst she faced from the former ZAFT commander was his daily attempts at a new and improved coffee brew.

This was home.

In some ways, it was empty- haunted by the ghosts of the two people both Murrue and Andy wished had lived to share the place with them. Yet- they knew deep down that both Aisha and Mwuu would have wanted them to continue to enjoy life.

And so, they lived each moment to the fullest; filling their home with treasured memories of love from the days before and a good dose of laughter and hope for the future.

_Yes_, Murrue thought to herself as she finished off the strange brew of coffee, _The__ war is over and we've finally come home at last.

* * *

_


	2. Heine: Teacup

**Title:** Teacup  
**Genre:** Drama/Introspective  
**Pairing:** None  
**Word Count:** 222  
**Summary:** Heine muses on life.

* * *

"Life is like a teacup. Wouldn't you say, Athrun?" 

The dark-haired man looked up quizzically from his breakfast to the fellow Faith member.

"Um…excuse me?"

Heine laughed, taking another sip from his tea.

"What? You're telling me you don't get it?"

"No…not really."

Sitting down his cup, he gestured to it.

"Life is best when filled with good things. We can savor it, enjoy it- taste the finer elements. But," He paused to sip the last of the tea from the intricate cup, "When empty, we find ourselves at a loss of what to do. And then…"

A loud clatter from across the hotel's dining room drew their attention, and the handle of the teacup slipped from Heine's fingers. As the two soldiers picked up the tray they'd dropped, the orange-haired Faith member looked to the shattered teacup on the ground.

"Oh my, these things are awfully fragile. One slip, and…" He held his hands up as he shrugged, "Well, what can you do? It's just in pieces."

Heine gestured to a waiter to bring him another cup as Athrun glanced to the broken pieces on the floor. Perhaps Heine was a bit unique, but now Athrun was beginning to see that life was more like a teacup than he would have first expected.

One wrong move and… it was in pieces.

* * *


	3. Meer: Imitation

**Title:** Imitation  
**Genre:** Introspective/Drama  
**Pairing:** None  
**Word Count:** 276  
**Summary:** Meer Campbell was a nobody. But she still had a voice- and that was enough for her.

* * *

All she ever had was one voice. 

There were no elaborate clothes to adorn her beautiful figure. No heads turned when she passed their way. And never once did a single elaborate piece of jewelry find its way around her neck.

Meer Campbell was a nobody. But she still had a voice- and that was enough for her.

There was another girl with a voice of gold; that pure, peaceful sound that illuminated the world and showered it in beauteous song. She could have anything at all, but wanted none of it.

All this girl ever wanted was peace.

Like a rare pearl or diamond- finding another like Lacus was not an easy task. They needed that voice, that power, that peaceful songstress to lead the people down the path they so desired. And if they couldn't have the real jewel, then they would settle for an imposter willing to fill the role Lacus left behind.

What they found was a simple girl who loved to sing. A beautiful girl who they dyed, warped and tainted until she played the perfect fake.

Now she has the most expensive and fancy clothing anyone could ask for. Everyone- be they man, woman or child- turns to look when she walks by. And all the jewels in the world are hers if she so desires.

Meer Campbell was now a somebody. Her voice was her ticket and her identity was the price.

But slowly, the jewel is fading; discolored, disheveled, and distorted beyond recognition. The girl is becoming nothing but a cheap imitation; never knowing that the person she used to be was already a diamond in the rough.

* * *


	4. Shani: White Noise

**Title:** White Noise  
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** Drama/Introspective  
**Character:** Shani Andras  
**Word Count:** 216  
**Summary:** He had to end the silence with blaring noise.

---------------------------------

He could hear the whispers of the scientists when they thought he wasn't listening.

"Whatever you do, don't take that music away from him. He'll go crazy if he's without it."

"He just can't stand the silence, can he?"

Silence.

Shani shuddered at the word, the mere thought of it sending a chill down his spine as the remnants of memories played out in his mind.

Silence was being locked alone in a high-security room as they tested the side-effects of various drugs. No matter how much you yelled or shouted, no one ever came for you.

Silence was the word the scientists would yell at all the children, demanding them to follow their new orders or face the horrendous punishments if they didn't. If you disobeyed, you were killed- never to make a sound again.

And in space, there was nothing but silence. Endless nothingness and a raw feeling of complete abandonment. He was soon taught that the sound of explosions made this silent star field a more tolerable place.

Turning up the music in his headphones he drowned out the creeping silence once more. Hugging his knees to his chest, he focused intently on the blaring noise.

Shani knew what silence really was- it was when no one cared enough to hear you scream.

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	5. TolleMiri: Sweet Victory

**Title:** Sweet Victory  
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** General  
**Pairings:** Tolle/Miriallia  
**Word Count:** 298  
**Summary:** It takes a lot of courage and guts to take on this sort of task…

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His spotted the target, pleased to see that it had yet to spot him. Stealthily, he edged around the corner.

"Today's the day," He murmured to himself.

"Stay calm. Remember how you practiced it," A voice instructed him through the earpiece he wore.

Mustering up all his courage, he advanced. Each step taking him closer, his heart racing faster by the second. Then the target looked up and they locked eyes.

He couldn't run now, it would be stupid to come all this way just to give up. But at the moment, not a single thought was processing in his head.

"The plan! Remember the plan!" The voice yelled, jarring him back to his senses.

The brown-haired boy nodded, finally making his move.

"M-Miriallia? Would…would you go out with me?"

The girl blushed, nervously glancing away then back.

"I-I'd love to be your girlfriend, Tolle," She said tentatively taking his hand.

His face broke into a wide grin as he gently squeezed her hand. Glancing over his shoulder, he flashed a victory sign behind his back.

At that, three boys peered out around the corner.

Miriallia sighed, "Kira, Kuzzey, Ssigh- were you all behind this too?"

Kuzzey pointed to the others, "It was their idea."

"Just helping out a couple of friends," Kira said smiling. Beside him, Ssigh took off the headset he was transmitting messages from.

"Well- mission accomplished. Go on, now," Miriallia ordered.

The three quickly retreated, leaving the two alone.

Shuffling his feet, Tolle nervously spoke, "So um…now that we're dating…I was wondering if…if…"

He'd forgotten the words he'd practiced, and he was certain he was going to do it all wrong. But when he gently pressed his lips against hers and she started to kiss back, only one word came to mind.

_Victory!_

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	6. AthrunNicol: Melodic Requiem

**Title:** Melodic Requiem  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Drama/Romance/Supernatural  
**Pairings:** Athrun/Nicol  
**Word Count:** 300  
**Summary:** The music was all he had left.

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The first time he touched a piano, it felt foreign and intimidating. The cold white keys slowly coming to life as his fingers danced across to follow the notes. It was a beautiful song, but he could not yet play it. Nearby, a quiet figure watched- waiting for the right moment to step in.

Each day, he would practice; growing more comfortable with the feel of the ivory, cool and slick, as he moved his hands over them. After many attempts, and a light laugh from his audience, a gentle hand laid over his- the more skilled artist teaching the beginner a more intimate method of playing.

With time, the melody began to spring to life. Each touch evoking soft sighs from the piano's strings. Each gentle caress making it sing with renewed vigor.

The song was alive once more, the notes embracing him like an old friend- no- like a lover.

Passionately, he played it through until the end. The warmth lingering around him; whispering to him and smiling at each perfect note. And as the young man stroked the last key- the final vibrato echoing throughout the room- Athrun slumped forward against the piano sated, Nicol's masterpiece finally being performed at last.

"That was beautiful."

The words seemed so real that Athrun sat up immediately; his eyes darting about the room for the boy he knew was long dead. The piano's strings hummed with an unseen wind, the feeling of that warm embrace once again wrapping around him.

"Thank you, Athrun. We'll have to play again, sometime."

And with a ghostly kiss the wind swept away, the sheet music scattering and landing on the ground. Athrun turned to look at the picture sitting across the room, a smile on his face.

"Anytime you want, Nicol. It's your song."


	7. MysteryPair: Snow Bride

**Title:** Snow Bride  
**Word Count:** 228  
**Pairings:** Surprise pairing  
**Genre:** Drama/Tragedy  
**Summary:** A wedding is supposed to be a joyous occasion...

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It was a cold winter's day, but that didn't take anything away from the beauty of it all.

Snow was falling now, blanketing the world in white and there were plenty of fires to keep them warm. Wedding bells chimed and clanged about, a sign to all nearby that something important was about to happen.

Soon enough, the bride arrived in grand fashion, followed by the groom and his entourage. The guests arrived then; each one of them settling into a comfortable seat to watch from.

And so, the ceremony began. The vows and promises that the two had held before- now were strengthened. They would protect each other. They would love each other. They would be together until death parted them.

"Speak now, or forever hold your peace," The echo of a voice sounded out- but no one replied. And with that, the two were wed- brought together in the glorious cathedral of Berlin.

Now, the guests were gone and the fanfare had calmed to nothing but silence. It was a time just for her and him- no one else.

Walking out amidst the snow, he held her; her peaceful face resting up against his chest.

And as he carried her over the threshold and let her fall into her watery grave, Shinn's heartbroken tears began anew. Those ill-omened words boring into his soul.

_'Til death do us part…Stellar._

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	8. AllCharacter: Song of Autumn

**Title:** Song of Autumn  
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** Drama/Introspective  
**Pairing:** Mentions of Kira/Lacus, Mwuu/Murrue, Tolle/Miriallia, Ssigh/Fllay, Gilbert/Talia, Shinn/Stellar  
**Word** **Count:** 550  
**Summary:** So as the chill begins to seep into the air- they remember and cherish the stories the autumn winds bring.

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A warm golden-brown leaf begins its descent; spiraling, free-falling and digging up long forgotten memories of the past. To some, the leaf seems to be stained red; to others, it was still green and still alive but the wind tore it away from the branches before its time. But whatever color, whatever the story, autumn came without hesitation to the sleeping world.

And each tale is different, each memory solidified in the slumbering recesses of their minds. It is something they cannot, will-not, and simply do not want to forget. So as the chill begins to seep into the air- they remember and cherish the stories the autumn winds bring.

A boy, hiding behind his computer and immersing himself in work, thinks of how the pale red leaves outside his window look oh so much like her hair. She's gone now, from him- from this earth.

A girl remembers her first kiss beneath the orange-red tree on the school grounds. He had been so shy at first yet still so sweet. The photograph in her hand shares the memory, the reflection the only way he can smile back at her now.

A man recalls two memories from two minds. One of a young girl dancing about the leaves, and how he felt so much like a stifling Father when he told her to return inside. Another of a beautiful brown-haired woman and the heated night they spent together. A woman, he notes with a smile, that makes a wonderful Mother to the young boy they adopted.

A woman gone, left her young son with a story. A tale of that fated autumn day when she said goodbye to love to pursue her maternal desires. Now the boy lives with another captain from the war, and she tells him stories of how formidable an opponent his Mother had been.

A youth, his eyes no longer filled with vengeance, thinks of how much his sister loved playing in the autumn leaves. He wonders if the girl he loved, buried now in the deep snow, would have enjoyed them too.

A youth, with eyes of dulled innocence, thinks of many things. How the falling leaves seem so much like the falling of Junius 7. How the browns and reds bring back images of muddy and bloodstained battles he'd been witness to. Yet he knows- once the leaves fall, once winter has melted away- spring will come and a new day, a future free of the past, will begin. And with that thought, he smiles.

Then, much like the rhythmic falling of the leaves, a song begins. A voice, singing not only for herself- but for others weaves a peaceful melody.

She sings of tomorrow- of the spring that will come after the cold of winter. She sings for the girl in the photograph, remembering her songs like they were her own. She sings of love, for the brown-haired youth who stands by her side. Each word rings true, embracing all the people lost in their memories and reassuring them that a brighter future awaits them.

And as the dusky autumn sun sets on the horizon, her words bring hope to those thinking of the past.

_One day, we will make it there  
Because in this wintered sky  
We still believe  
Fields of Hope_

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	9. Athrun: The Gardener

**Title:** The Gardener  
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** Drama/Introspective  
**Pairing:** n/a  
**Word Count:** 300  
**Summary:** Like the best of gardeners, he tends the flowers of his past and winds them together with the blossoms of his future.

---------------------------------

It was a quiet winter day, the chilly winds causing him to tug his coat closer about him as his feet crunched into the freshly fallen snow. Out of habit he turned to look beside him- almost expecting to see the familiar face of a friend beside him. But not this time- no, this time he'd come alone.

Today was going to be a journey- a long one, both in body and mind.

First, a day-lily.

_Motherhood._ _Beauty. A wonderful woman who died amidst a tragedy._

Second, a white daisy tied to a sheet of music.

_Innocence._ _Purity. A boy who died before his song could truly be heard._

Third, two irises for two comrades.

_Friendship._ _Valor. Two young men who were always so full of life, now gone._

Fourth, a light-red carnation.

_Admiration._ _A brief yet impactual friendship. A man who would remark that he'd rather the flower be orange._

Fifth, and last of all, a bouquet of fifteen dark red roses.

_I'm sorry. I miss you. I still remember your song even now. A girl who sang for peace and died to save another._

Each flower holds a special place in his heart. A boy, yet a man himself- Athrun Zala plants this garden in the midst of winter. With love, he knows the peaceful future they all wanted will grow. With time, he finds that the memories grow closer and dearer to his heart.

Like the best of gardeners, he tends the flowers of his past and winds them together with the blossoms of his future. His friendship and loyalty binds the former enemy sides together, turning their bitterness to friendship.

It is his presence that ties their stories together. And whether he'll ever realize it or not, it is he who'll make all the difference.

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	10. Kira & Ssigh: Smiles for the Future

**Title:** Smiles for the Future  
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** Drama/General  
**Pairings:** Kira/Lacus, Ssigh/Fllay, implications of past Kira/Fllay  
**Word Count:** 728  
**Summary:** A chance meeting on a memorable day.

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It had been one year.

Standing in the quiet cemetery, they'd met again. It wasn't planned, it was merely fate. Then again, it wasn't all that strange that they would both show up here on that day. The day- a year later from the war's ending. The location, the grave of a girl named Fllay Allster.

At first, Kira had been surprised to know that the grave existed. He'd known Fllay had already lost her parents, but it appeared that some other relative had put up a gravestone in her name as well. He'd come, as Lacus suggested, to help put the past behind him.

It was as he stood there that the other young man approached; in his arms was a bouquet of flowers, tinted glasses perched on his nose.

"Kira?"

The brown-haired boy turned, eyes looking far older than his friend last remembered them to be.

"Ssigh?" He questioned in return.

The boy nodded, "I see you came to see her."

Kira hung his head, "I came to say goodbye."

At first, Ssigh was somewhat alarmed by those words. He'd heard stories of survivor's guilt becoming so severe that the victims of it took their own life. True, he really didn't think Kira to be that type; but as those worn eyes so told him, Kira had changed a lot in the past year.

"Goodbye?" Ssigh asked, walking up beside him. Laying down his flowers, he turned to his friend, "Why are you saying goodbye?"

"I need to let go of my past, so I can start moving forward again."

Ssigh nodded quietly, relieved to hear that the boy was still trying his best to be optimistic. That of course, he knew Kira owed to the pink-haired songstress of ZAFT. She'd saved Kira in more ways then perhaps Kira himself even knew.

"I need to forget..." Kira murmured, and at that Ssigh could no longer stay silent.

"You can't!"

Innocence shown through violet eyes as Kira blinked at the sudden outburst.

Ssigh smiled thoughtfully, looking down at the gravestone. His voice now holding an air of calm wisdom to it, "You can put it behind you, move forward; but never forget her. When someone dies, they can live on in the memories of people who knew them. So for her sake, we must remember. That way...she'll keep living."

Kira paused, hesitating a moment before he reached out and placed a comforting hand on Ssigh's shoulder.

"You loved her, didn't you?"

Ssigh nodded.

"I'm sorry," Kira murmured.

Ssigh shook his head, "Don't be. She wouldn't want you to suffer anymore," He fell silent for a moment before continuing, "Fllay would be happy to see us here like this, back together as good friends."

"She would. Do you..." Kira stopped, finding his question sudden out of place.

"What?"

"Lacus...would Fllay..."

Returning Kira's earlier gesture, Ssigh reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Fllay would want you to live, love and be happy. If being with Lacus makes you happy, then I'm sure- she'd be happy for you."

A slight smile tugged at Kira's lips, "Good."

Ssigh looked off towards the path he'd come on, "I guess that's what happens after war. There are a lot of unanswered questions. A lot of unsaid goodbyes. A lot of people we never see again..."

"Then we must rebuild our hearts and minds and work towards a better future. In time, we can live in peace again," Kira spoke up.

Beside him, Ssigh chuckled a bit to himself, "Looks like I agree with Fllay's sentiment. Lacus is one of the best things for you right now."

Kira smiled; something Ssigh noted- this time was a genuine Kira-smile like from the days before the war.

"I think you're both right."

The two looked to the grave, each silently telling Fllay how they'd been and what had happened since she'd left them. The sun began to set in the distance, a signal to them both that it was time to go.

Heading back up the path, Ssigh spoke up, "Do you need to go back or can you stop somewhere with me for dinner?"

"Dinner would be nice. We can catch up on things," Kira said, his hopeful smile still gracing his face.

And looking down on the two friends, a red-haired girl smiled; wishing them both happiness and smiles in the future.

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End file.
